Bag with Releasable Zip Tie

ABSTRACT

A zip tie that is assembled inside a channel within a bag&#39;s rim is implemented, in which the zip tie includes a slit to enable easy tearing thereof. The use of the slit lets users know that no one accessed the contents of their bag while also making it easy to access their food when it arrives from a deliverer. The zip tie includes a strap with teeth, a receptacle, and a strap end that can be inserted into the receptacle. The strap&#39;s teeth engage with the receptacle&#39;s tongue, in which the tongue prevents the teeth from advancing in the opposite (for removal) direction. The strap also includes a slit to facilitate the zip tie&#39;s easier dismantling when the strap is mated with the receptacle. The bag includes an exterior and an interior inside which is a receiving portion that receives food or other items.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Non-Provisional Application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/161,501, filed Mar. 16, 2021, entitled “Bag with Releasable Zip Tie,” the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Whether ordered through an application or telephoned in to a restaurant, delivery services for ordered food continue to be an essential part of many individuals' and families' lives. Despite the expected presence or growth of the food delivery industry, often, people are left to trust that their delivery driver—who typically travels alone—is not tampering with or stealing their food.

SUMMARY

A zip tie that is assembled inside a channel within a bag's rim is implemented, in which the zip tie includes a slit to enable easy tearing thereof. The use of the slit let's users know that no one accessed the contents of their bag while also making it easy to access their food when it arrives from a deliverer. The zip tie includes a strap with teeth, a receptacle, and a strap end that can be inserted into the receptacle. The strap's teeth engage with the receptacle's tongue, in which the tongue prevents the teeth from advancing in the opposite (for removal) direction. The strap also includes a slit to facilitate the zip tie's easier dismantling when the strap is mated with the receptacle. The bag includes an exterior and an interior inside which is a receiving portion that receives food or other items. The bag's rim includes two openings, a strap opening and a receptacle opening, from which the zip tie's receptacle and strap end exit the rim's channel.

The slit may be created during the manufacturing process in which a mold of the strap is configured with a purposeful weak point, like the slit. Furthermore, the receptacle and strap may be configured with semi-permanence to prevent the deliverer from tampering with the zip tie. For example, the deliverer's effort to undo the strap from the receptacle may create noticeable marks on the strap, such as the strap's teeth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative diagram in which a deliverer from a restaurant transports food to a user's home;

FIG. 2 shows an illustrative representation in which a zip tie is utilized with a bag;

FIG. 3 shows an illustrative representation of a slit in a zip tie;

FIG. 4 shows an illustrative representation in which the partially sealed bag has food stored within its interior;

FIG. 5 shows an illustrative representation in which the bag is sealed;

FIG. 6 shows an illustrative representation of a dismantled receptacle from the zip tie's strap; and

FIG. 7 shows an illustrative user interface of a delivery application on a mobile computing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative representation in which a restaurant 110 may prepare food for delivery to user 105 at their home 115. The user may use an application instantiated on their, for example, smartphone or another computing device, or the user may call the restaurant and vocally place the order. A deliverer 120 may transport the sealed bag 125 that stores the user's food order upon preparing the order.

FIG. 2 shows an illustrative representation in which a zip tie 240 can be assembled inside a channel within the bag's rim 220. The zip tie is shown separately from the bag for illustrative purposes. The zip tie includes a strap 225 with teeth 245, a receptacle 230, and a strap end 235 that can be inserted into the receptacle. The strap's teeth engage with the receptacle's tongue, in which the tongue prevents the teeth from advancing in the opposite (for removal) direction. As discussed in greater detail below, the strap also includes a slit to facilitate easier dismantling of the zip tie when the strap is mated with the receptacle. Bag 125 includes an exterior 215 and an interior 210 inside which is a receiving portion 205 that receives food or other items. The bag's rim includes two openings, a strap opening 245 and a receptacle opening 250, from which the zip tie's receptacle 230 and strap end 235 exit the rim's channel. The bag may be comprised of various materials, such as polyethylene for plastic bags, paper, fabric, or a mix thereof, among other materials.

FIG. 3 shows an illustrative representation in which a detailed view 305 of the zip tie 240 is provided. The detailed view shows a slit 310 positioned between the receptacle 230 and the strap 225. The zip tie is produced with the slit to create a weak point 315 at which a user can tear the zip tie apart. User 105 (FIG. 1) can tear the zip tie at the slit to access the food inside the sealed bag. As tearing the zip tie at the slit would permanently dismantle the zip tie, the user can rest assured that they are the only one who accessed their food from the restaurant. The user would know if, for example, the deliverer dismantled the zip tie during transportation since the detachment is permanent.

While the slit 310 is shown directly adjacent to the receptacle 230, in other implementations, the slit may be further downstream on the strap 225 so that the user has more surface area on both sides of the slit to grasp. Furthermore, the slit's size on the strap 225 may range from being a millimeter or couple of millimeters down from the top of the strap. In terms of a percentage, the slit may range from being 5% of the strap's body to 99% of the strap's body. In typical implementations, the slit may be small enough to enable a user to tear the strap apart and can be large enough to prevent unintentional breakage.

The slit 310 may be created during the manufacturing process in which a mold of the strap 225 is configured with a purposeful weak point, like the slit. Furthermore, the receptacle 230 and strap may be configured with semi-permanence to prevent the deliverer 120 from tampering with the zip tie 240. For example, the deliverer's effort to undo the strap from the receptacle may create noticeable marks on the strap, such as the strap's teeth.

FIG. 4 shows an illustrative representation in which the bag 125 is partially closed by inserting and pulling the strap 225 through the receptacle 230. The food 405 may be placed inside the bag's receiving portion 205 before the restaurant's preparer fully seals the bag. FIG. 5 shows an illustrative representation in which the bag 125 is fully sealed 505. As the zip tie extends through a channel inside the bag's rim, tightening of the zip tie causes compression of the bag's rim to close and seal the bag's opening.

FIG. 6 shows an illustrative representation in which user 105 (not shown) can permanently tear the zip tie 225 apart at the slit (FIG. 3). The receptacle 230 is torn apart from the zip tie's receptacle end. The strap's remaining portion may be secured inside the receptacle while the receptacle is torn apart. The receptacle's dismantling enables the user to stretch and open the bag's rim and access the food inside its interior.

FIG. 7 shows an illustrative user interface 705 on mobile computing device 720 in which the user accesses delivery application 710 to order food. After the user creates their order, the application is configured to present an option to have their order delivered with Inna Zip, the company that manufactures the releasable zip tie 240. The user has the option to pay extra money for the secure zip tie disclosed herein or can opt-out of the secure zip tie and have their food delivered conventionally. The user may make input 715 by touching the mobile device's touchscreen interface.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims. 

1. A bag having an interior and an exterior and configured with a release mechanism, comprising: a receiving portion inside the interior which receives and holds a rim adjacent to the receiving portion and positioned at a top portion of the bag; a channel positioned inside the rim, wherein the channel leads to two distinct openings which are exposed on an exterior of the rim; and a zip tie, having a receptacle and a strap, positioned inside of the rim's channel, in which opposing ends of the zip tie respectively exit the two distinct openings, wherein the zip tie includes a release mechanism to facilitate dismantling of the zip tie.
 2. The bag of claim 1, wherein a portion of the strap adjacent to the receptacle includes a slit to enable a user to tear the receptacle from the zip tie's strap and thereby open the sealed bag.
 3. The bag of claim 2, wherein tearing of the receptacle from the zip tie's strap at the slit is a permanent detachment of the receptacle from the zip tie.
 4. The bag of claim 3, wherein the slit is directly adjacent to the receptacle.
 5. The bag of claim 1, wherein the rim and channel are sealed to prevent the zip tie from being tampered with or removed from the bag.
 6. The bag of claim 5, wherein the bag is comprised of some compressible material, including paper, fabric, or plastic.
 7. A bag having an interior and an exterior and configured with a release mechanism, comprising: a receiving portion inside the interior which receives and holds a rim adjacent to the receiving portion and positioned at a top portion of the bag; a channel positioned inside the rim, wherein the channel leads to two distinct openings which are exposed on an exterior of the rim; and a zip tie, having a receptacle and a strap, positioned inside of the rim's channel, wherein a portion of the strap adjacent to the receptacle includes a slit to enable a user to tear the receptacle from the zip tie's strap and thereby open the sealed bag, wherein the zip tie includes a release mechanism to facilitate dismantling of the zip tie.
 8. The bag of claim 7, wherein the channel leads to two distinct openings which are exposed on an exterior of the rim, in which opposing ends of the zip tie respectively exit the two distinct openings.
 9. The bag of claim 7, wherein tearing of the receptacle from the zip tie's strap at the slit is a permanent detachment of the receptacle from the zip tie.
 10. The bag of claim 9, wherein the slit is directly adjacent to the receptacle.
 11. The bag of claim 7, wherein the rim and channel are sealed to prevent the zip tie from being tampered with or removed from the bag.
 12. The bag of claim 11, wherein the bag is comprised of some compressible material, including paper, fabric, or plastic. 